Friday, July 27, 2007

Woman Who Killed Purse Snatcher Faces Charges.

Dutch woman who killed thief to be tried; but was it murder? Or accidental homocide? Or justifiable homocide? Should she be prosecuted for trying to retrieve her purse from a purse snatcher? Did the thief get what he deserved? Did he intend the natural consequences of his acts? Was injury or death an anticipated consequence of his actions? Did he assume the risks?

A woman who fatally crushed a teenager with her car after he snatched her purse will be prosecuted, authorities said Friday, 27 July.

The early 2005 incident assumed national importance and inflamed tensions with the country's Moroccan community. The 19-year-old man came from a Moroccan family and the filmmaker Theo van Gogh had been murdered by a Muslim radical just two months earlier.

Some sympathized with the driver, believing she justifiably chased the thief and killed him accidentally. But many in Amsterdam's Moroccan community said the incident reflected Dutch disdain for them.

The story had many complexities, including the youth's criminal background and the driver's record of reckless driving.

The woman, identified as Germaine C., 45, was in her car when the teenager, identified as Ali el Bejjati, grabbed her purse from the back seat and then hopped on a scooter driven by a friend, prosecutors said Friday.

The woman chased them with her car in reverse and hit the scooter, pinning the thief against a tree. He died on the spot. His accomplice fled on foot.

The woman was arrested, interrogated and released several days later.

The prosecution said in a statement that formal charges would be filed later, adding they could range from vehicular homicide to reckless driving.

The national broadcaster, NOS news, reported that the woman had told police she wanted only to "bump" the scooter. It also reported she had previously been cited for driving in reverse on a freeway.

El Bejjati had been convicted before of purse theft and was awaiting trial on armed robbery charges when he died.Dutch woman who killed thief to be tried By TOBY STERLING, Associated Press WriterFri Jul 27, 7:47 PM ET

A woman who fatally crushed a teenager with her car after he snatched her purse will be prosecuted, authorities said Friday.

The early 2005 incident assumed national importance and inflamed tensions with the country's Moroccan community. The 19-year-old man came from a Moroccan family and the filmmaker Theo van Gogh had been murdered by a Muslim radical just two months earlier.

Some sympathized with the driver, believing she justifiably chased the thief and killed him accidentally. But many in Amsterdam's Moroccan community said the incident reflected Dutch disdain for them.

The story had many complexities, including the youth's criminal background and the driver's record of reckless driving.

The woman, identified as Germaine C., 45, was in her car when the teenager, identified as Ali el Bejjati, grabbed her purse from the back seat and then hopped on a scooter driven by a friend, prosecutors said Friday.

The woman chased them with her car in reverse and hit the scooter, pinning the thief against a tree. He died on the spot. His accomplice fled on foot.

The woman was arrested, interrogated and released several days later.

The prosecution said in a statement that formal charges would be filed later, adding they could range from vehicular homicide to reckless driving.

The national broadcaster, NOS news, reported that the woman had told police she wanted only to "bump" the scooter. It also reported she had previously been cited for driving in reverse on a freeway.

El Bejjati had been convicted before of purse theft and was awaiting trial on armed robbery charges when he died.TOBY STERLING AP (7/27/07)

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